the heat is on

96 degrees here yesterday in sc. We have had one 2 hour rain in the past 2 months. And the summer hasnt even began. I believe we are a month ahead of schedule in the heat and drought area. Soon it will take over much of the country. Doesnt take much time of 90+ temps to zap fescue. Like living in an oven. I can take the heat and humidity though. Just the lack of rain zaps the enthusiasm

Not many yards at all Toroguy. Doing odd jobs mostly. Put my bushhog ad back into the paper. The only good thing about this is that the competition is suffering too. But i see alot of them out there cutting dead grass. This is what keeps alot of people out of the grass business here. Not too dependable at all. You have to be willing to diversify. But there is an ad in today paper for lawn care help with a national company with a 800 number. Wonder what they need help with? lol. This red clay we have is like cement at this point. Not many people even go outside in the summer and early fall. Now you cant go out in much of the spring.

For the last three years it has been hotter, earlier. We have had higher highs already, than we do usually during the summer. Up until '98 a 100 degree day was unusual and maybe happened once every couple of years. We used to get seabreezes and afternoon clouds Not anymore. <p>What is really amazing is the ground heat. No wonder everything is brown. I dug a hole in a dry location to see at what depth there was any noticable moisture. At 10 inches the ground was hotter than the oustide air.<p>For those in Florida here is an &lt;a href=&quot;http://fawn.ifas.ufl.edu/Standard1j.asp&quot;&gt;automated weather site&lt;/a&gt;<p><br><p><font size="1">Edited by: Keith

Charles:<br>I'm really sorry about your weather. Many times I have wondered how people live in the south in the summer regardless of drought. <br>I lived in Florida for a year but I was right on the beach. I dreaded going inland in the summer. The humidity was unreal.<br>I also took a trip to Memphis in July once. The temp was 110 and that was not heat index but actual temp. I still have nightmares about those cady-dids or whatever they were screaming in my ears. You could'nt even think.<br>When my business was over I pointed the car north and I didn't stop for 10 hours.<br>I hope things turn around for you but if they don't then maybe you should move north for the summer and go home in the winter. You can probably pick up business up here and do better.<br>Good Luck Either Way.

Charles,<br>The national lawn co. is probably looking to replace the people who were laid off...in anticipation of rain.<p>I bet with the extra time you've caught up on the latest movies, happy hour specials, etc. Try and make the best of it.